Guwahati: Assam government on Wednesday announced a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh for pugilist Lovlina Borgohain for winning India a gold medal at the recent World Boxing Championships.
India, the hosts for the event, capped off an outstanding campaign, finishing with its highest tally of gold medals, at 4, at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship. Apart from Lovlina, fellow star India pugilist Nikhat Zareen recorded a stellar victory in the finals of the World Boxing event at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in the national capital on Sunday.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina (75kg) claimed her maiden World gold with a 5-2 win on points after the bout against Caitlin Parker of Australia was reviewed. Announcing the reward in the Assam Assembly on Wednesday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, ‘Under the state’s sports policy, the Assam government has announced a reward of Rs 50 lakh for Lovlina’. ‘Lovlina Borgohain has made us (Assam) proud and the Assam assembly is thankful to Lovlina for her contribution’, Himanta added.
Competing in her first World Championships final, Lovlina faced a tough challenge against the two-time Commonwealth Games medallist Parker but produced a world-class display to come out on top in the closely contested matchup. The bout went to and fro with the Indian edging out her opponent with a 3-2 margin in the first round before the Australian came back to prevail in the next round by 4-1. Ultimately, the 25-year-old Assam-born pugilist utilized her vast experience and supreme technical ability to outpunch her opponent and add secure her third Worlds medal.
Alongside Nikhat and Lovlina, 2022 Commonwealth Games medallist Nitu Ghanghas (48kg) and three-time Asian medallist Saweety Boora (81kg) were the other gold medallists for India. All pugilists were rewarded with Rs 82.7 lakhs ($100,000) each in prize money for becoming World Champions. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated both Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain for winning gold at World Boxing Championships. Congratulating Lovlina, PM Modi wrote, ‘Congratulations @LovlinaBorgohaifor her stupendous feat at the Boxing World Championships. She showed great skill. India is delighted by her winning the Gold medal’.
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